The Golferichs House, commonly known as the "Chalet", was designed in 1901 by the architect Joan Rubió i Bellver as a residence for Mr. Macari Golferichs. This was one of his first experiences on single-family housing, which would later become one of the main constants of his work, with examples such as the Roviralta House of 1913, or the Pardals Tower of 1919.
The alteration caused by the construction of the annex building and the change of a residential use to that of an educational centre was quite obvious and was one of the main points to be resolved in the proposal. Built modestly in its materials and structural systems, it collapsed the reading of the Golferichs House as a villa from the beginning, that is, as a building free from three of its sides. This building not only prevented the contemplation and perimeter of the House, but also eliminated the important eaves and made it impossible to access the small backyard. One of the first objectives was, therefore, to return the original appearance to the Chalet.
To this end, the rear section of the annex building was demolished, and a new communications core was rebuilt. Action at this point was valued as fundamental as it would establish the future relationship between the two buildings. The new staircase is attached to the partition and the services are concentrated around it. This solution frees up the maximum surface area on the floor and allows a very transparent façade. On one hand, this makes it possible to incorporate the new wall of the staircase, the existing partition, and the building’s façade within the same arrangement system; on the other hand, the desired visual relationship of each lobby with the Golferichs House. The Eixample’s traditional typology, where the light galleries open onto the backyard, was recovered here due to the need to rebuild a new façade and give a new access to the building.
Inside the Golferichs House, which was badly damaged and deteriorated in many places, the spatial and distributive structure where the different rooms were arranged around a central core was especially valued, causing a series of visuals and transparencies. While most elements such as ceilings, eaves, stairs, sgraffito, etc., were completed or remade mimetically following the existing model, in some specific cases the uniqueness or strategic location of some pieces advised to seek contrast. This contrast, based on the different textures and constructive logic of a modern material such as stainless steel, is incorporated in an overlapping and objective way.
